Improvement in vehicle-springs



R. L. BA'LDWIN.

VEHICLE-SPRING. No. 177,613, Patented May 23,1875.

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Uur-run Serrures4v Rio'HARDL. BALDWIN, or sTAMFoRD, ooNNEo'rIcUr.

I IMPRVOVEMENT IN VEHICLE-SPRINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,6l 3, dated May 23, 1876; application filed 'June 4, 11574.

` To all whom it may concern:

yuse in Railroad-Cars or other Vehicles, of

which the following is a speciiication:

My invention has reference to that class of steel springs which are ot elliptical form, with singleexterior plates or leaves;'and my'invention consists in 'constructing and arranging, within 'the space between the exterior elliptical plates, a pair of auxiliary elastic plates, which. are bent 'in equal curves in reverse direction to each other, and united by a pin or rivet at their center and line of contact, in the form of an elongated X, the ends of which auxiliary plates are made to beat and press, by their elastic action, against the inner faces ot' the exterior plates, and to move upon them and be kept in place by guiderollers, as hereinafter more particularly set forth.

In the acconlpanying drawing, making part of this my specilication, Figure l represents a side lelevation of the spring. Fig. 2 repre- `,sents,in plan or face'view, one ot' the auxiliary plates ot the spring, and showing" the guide and bearing-rollers.

The elliptical plates a a of the spring are connected at their ends by joints ot' the usual Y. form of eyes and an interlocking-pin. I prefer that these plates should taper very gradually from their centers toward their ends, but this is not absolutely essential. Within .the spacel between the exterior plates are placed the auxiliary elastic steel plates b b, bent in equal curves in opposite directions to each other. They are secured together at the central point of. contact by a pin or rivet, c. At the ends 'ot' these auxiliary springs are a pair ot' plates or ears on either side, as shown at d d. Theseears are made a part of or rigidly vfixed upon plates b b, and they. project on either side of the 'edges of the plates a a, for the purpose now to be set forth e e arefric4 tion and guide rollers, which have their journals and bearin gs within the opposite pairs of ears d d. These rollers are flanged at their ends sufliciently to project slightly over andV embrace the edges of the elliptical plates a a, as shown at e e. These auxiliary spring-plates b b are constructed and tempered so that their ends will require to be brought toward each other with considerable force, in order to insert them in their places between the exterior elliptical plates, and when this compressingforce is removed after the auxiliary plates are in place they will, by their elastic pressure and action, spring into and be held in their proper' position,- and bear with a constant elastic pressure upon the inner faces of the elliptical plates, and will move freely upon them by the action of the friction-rollers, by thetlanges ot' which the auxiliary plates are kept in their required position, as well when the spring is at rest as when in action. The friction-rollers may be dispensed with anda straight bar substituted; and the bar or cheeks of the rollers may extend over and inclose the exterior plates, butso as 'to slide easily thereon.

By this construction and combination of the elliptical exterior plates and the interior auxiliary plates or springs, a soft, easy, and steady action -ot' the spring is secured, and the exterior single elliptical plates are sutli- 'ciently supported. The stiffness or rigidity ot' the spring will be increased by making the interior auxiliary plates shorter and'ot curves of less radius with relation to the exterior plates, so. that the ends ot' the auxiliary plates will have their bearings upon the elliptic plates nearer to thel center of the spring; and, on the other hand, their softness or iexibility will be increased by making the auxiliary springs of greater length and their curves ot' greater radius.

`My invention is applicable to springs when composed of a series of parallel elliptical plates or of parallel elliptical bars,the change in each case being only a multiplication" of the same or similar parts, constructed and acting upon the same principle.

Having thus described m'y spring and the improvements therein, and the manner of constructing the same, I claim therein asmy invention anddesire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An elliptical steel spring, composed of linutfg.nirk ortica the exterigppulzitesfa aV axidheagxiliI-*ya interior.pleites,.l or.. springs 115.11', ,cnstrugtedg arranged,V and operating substantially as set"l forth. l

2. In an elliptical spring, composed-of 'exterior plates and interior auxiliaryplates,

tionfrllelfs'. meende. of theiunenion mail; iaggylspgringsgonlstmueted andi; op'eragiug sub,V` staritially as setafforth;

RICHARD L. BALDWIN.

Witnesses:

J. B. STAPLES, GEQIW; .Foxx 

